however, does not appear in its great est beauty, till it is nearly three years old

When the peacock spreads its gaudy tail, and moves about in the sunshine, it gives a thousand differ ent shades of coloring, which are brilliant and varying beyond descrip tion.

Its colors are so rich and various, that they exceed the luster of the finest flower of the field or garden; and no painter could make any thing like them. It is kept chiefly for its beauty.

Although its feathers are so beautiful, yet, like the flowers, they fade every year, and drop from their bodies, and are renewed again in the spring.

When it drops its fine feathers in the fall, it is very shy, and does not like to be seen, and will seek to hide itself till its feathers are grown out again.

But when it is clothed with its beautiful plumage, it walks about with a pompous step, as if vain of its beauty, and appears haughty and proud, and likes to display its fine colors, to those who are looking on, like some little boys and girls who are proud of their fine clothes.

Although the peacock is so beautiful, yet it is almost a useless bird. It does much mischief in gardens, digging up seeds and nipping off the buds of flowers.

Its voice is very harsh and disgusting, and it will scream out with a most hideous noise. It is so quarrelsome, that it will not live in peace with any other bird except the pigeon.

I hope no little boy or girl who reads this, will be like the peacock, vain and proud of their beauty and fine clothes; but will try to do good to others, and to live in peace with all.

THERE IS A RIGHT WAY AND A WRONG WAY.

There are two ways of doing a thing, a right way and a wrong way. Now the right way is always the easier, and the more pleasant, while the wrong way is always difficult

and troublesome.

Besides, when a thing is done wrong, it has to be done over again, and it commonly takes longer to do it the second time, than it would to do it right at first.

When children do not know how to do any thing in the best manner, they should inquire of their parents, teachers, or friends; and when they are told they should remember and attend to what has been said.

Many a little girl has had her

work all to take apart, and do over again, because she was not careful to do it, as she had been directed.

And many a little boy, by not attending to his teacher, has had to rub out his sum, because he did not multiply or divide by the right figure, or else did not carry the right number.

A boy was sent to the store to buy some indigo, and because he did not observe what was said, he forgot his errand and bought some tobacco, and had to go again for his negligence.

In human life, there are many ways that are wrong; while there is only one way that is right.

This way can only be found and followed, by reading and obeying the Holy Scriptures, which God has given us for this purpose.

In a corner of a farmer's garden, was a nest of ants, which, during all the fine weather of summer, were busy in drawing little seeds, dead bugs and the like into their holes for food.

Near them was a delightful bed of flowers, where a great many flies used to be buzzing and sporting about in the warm sun, from one flower to another.

Now a little boy, who was the son of this farmer, one day as he saw the flies all at play so pleasantly, thought they must surely be much wiser and happier than the ants, which were so busy at work.

"Can any creatures," said he, "be so silly as those ants? All day long they are tugging and toiling, instead